Prior art cable reel assemblies have been provided for storing and transporting fiber optic and/or electrical cables of substantial length. One well-known cable reel used in most military applications is manufactured by Shane Industries.
Various problems exist with this prior art cable reel, including weight, non-stackability, bulkiness, difficulty in handling, lack of versatility, difficulty of manufacture, etc. Therefore, there exists a need for an improved cable reel assembly that is lower in weight, stackable, less bulky, easy to handle and reel, modifiable, and relatively easy to manufacture.
When deployed, cable reel assemblies are generally positioned to allow quick extension and retrieval of the cable. This results in the cable reel spinning on its axis. As the demand for additional fiber capacity increases within a cable increases, generally, the overall diameter of the fiber optic cable also increases. As the diameter of the fiber optic cable increases, the cable flexibility is reduced (e.g., the cable is stiffer).
In certain deployments, the cable reel assembly is removed from its storage/protective housing, while in others it is desirous to maintain the cable reel assembly within its a storage/protective housing (e.g., box) during deployment. In either case, when a relatively large diameter cable is utilized, the cable connector (at the cable reel end) is typically inserted into an internal opening in the cable reel. However, a problem exists when the cable is relatively stiff or has a larger diameter. Part of the cable can extend outward beyond the lateral side of the cable reel. As the cable reel rotates, the cable may contact an object in close proximity which may damage the cable. Further, this may prevent proper rotation of the cable reel when deployed within its storage/protective housing, and may cause other problems.